19/06/2026

FRIDAY | JUNE 19, 2026

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Two retirees win total of RM15.3 million Sports Toto jackpots

Ű BY ANDREW SAGAYAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

his daily routine. When he discovered he had won, he initially struggled to believe it despite repeatedly verifying the ticket. “The next thing I did was wake my wife and ask her to verify the ticket because I thought I was seeing things,” he said. With the winning numbers 3, 8, 11, 25, 38 and 42, he took home RM3,499,722.25. Expressing gratitude for the windfall, he said it would provide greater financial comfort during retirement.

jackpot pool was won by a punter from Kuala Lumpur through an i-System ticket. Meanwhile, a 65-year-old retired construction worker from Penang won RM3.5 million after striking the Star Toto 6/50 Jackpot 1 on June 10 with a Lucky Pick ticket. A loyal Sports Toto customer, he had spent RM10 on Lucky Pick tickets for many years. The senior citizen said checking his tickets through the Sports Toto mobile app before bedtime had become part of

The retiree said he was overwhelmed when he discovered he had won. “I checked the results several times to make sure I had not read them wrongly. Once I was certain, I immediately shared the news with my family.” Asked about his plans for the prize money, he said he intended to manage the funds prudently, focusing on providing for his family and securing a better future for his grandchildren. A ticket purchased for RM2 earned him RM11,806,469.85, while the remaining RM195,148.20 from the

many regular players, he never expected his perseverance would one day lead to a life-changing windfall. The winning pair of numbers, 1660 and 5093, was derived from the birth certificate numbers of his two grandchildren. “My grandchildren have brought so much joy and happiness to our family, but I never imagined they would one day change our lives in such an extraordinary way,” he was quoted as saying in a statement issued yesterday by STM Lottery Sdn Bhd.

enforcement agencies adopt it without wider institutional reforms, said Transparency International Malaysia president Dr Raymon Ram. He added that polygraph testing may have value as a supplementary screening or interview option in narrowly defined high-risk settings, but should not be treated as a primary integrity safeguard. “The scientific evidence surrounding polygraph reliability remains contested, and there is no consensus that it can accurately determine honesty, integrity or corruption risk on a standalone basis,” he told theSun . However, Raymon said the greater concern was whether agencies would PETALING JAYA: Polygraph testing may still assist integrity screening and investigations, but experts say it cannot be treated as a standalone measure of honesty or deception. Independent criminologist Datuk Shahul Hamid Abdul Rahim said polygraph testing remains relevant as a support option to identify inconsistencies in responses and guide further scrutiny. However, he stressed that it was not a definitive instrument for determining whether a person was telling the truth or lying. “Evidence based solely on polygraph testing is not sufficiently accurate. It is only 80% to 90% accurate and even then, it cannot be used as evidence in court unless supported by expert testimony,” he told theSun . While accuracy could reach 90% when using specific questions, Shahul added that it could fall to between 70% and 80% during general screening processes. He explained that polygraph testing does not detect lies directly but measures physiological responses such as pulse rate, blood pressure, respiration and skin readings, all of which could be influenced by psychological factors. According to Shahul, the risk of false positives could range from 10% to 25%, with truthful individuals potentially assessed as deceptive due to nervousness, illness, medication, anxiety, trauma, poor questioning techniques or an examiner lacking sufficient expertise. Conversely, deceptive individuals may be assessed as truthful if they are able to control their emotions, employ countermeasures or display KUALA LUMPUR: Two long-time Sports Toto punters recently struck it lucky, collectively taking home more than RM15.3 million in jackpot prizes. The first winner, a 62-year-old retired salesman from Perak, won RM11.8 million from the RM12 million Sports Toto 4D Jackpot 1 prize draw on May 31. Having played Sports Toto 4D games for the past 30 years, he typically spent between RM10 and RM20 per draw. Like Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Lie detector tests not definitive proof of honesty

o Findings must be supported by other evidence and assessments, say criminologists

secure reporting mechanisms, while urging agencies to invest in internal controls, audit functions and corruption risk management programmes. Targeted job rotation could also help prevent corruption in high-risk areas such as procurement, licensing, enforcement, inspections, investigations and border control, he added. On lifestyle audits, Raymon said they could be useful when there were reasonable grounds to examine discrepancies between an individual’s lifestyle and legitimate income, but must be intelligence-led, proportionate and independently supervised. “Without independent oversight, even well-designed integrity tools can be misused.” – by Faiz Ruzman other evidence-based screening measures. Likewise, disciplinary proceedings and criminal investigations should be supported by documentary evidence, witness statements, digital evidence, forensic findings and other investigative methods. He added that safeguards were particularly important when polygraph findings could affect employment, promotion or investigation outcomes. Organisations should also provide an appeal process for individuals wishing to challenge the findings or raise concerns about how the test was conducted. “Participation should be based on informed consent, with individuals fully understanding the purpose and implications of the examination. “Tests should only be conducted by properly trained and certified examiners who adhere to recognised professional and ethical standards. “Strict data governance and privacy protections are equally important. Polygraph records should be securely stored, access restricted to authorised personnel and retention periods clearly defined. “Organisations must clearly communicate that polygraph testing is only one component of a broader integrity management framework and should never be treated as infallible,” he said.

The commission said the seminar aimed to enhance understanding of polygraph technology as a support option for employment screening, organisational integrity management and security-related investigations. The initiative has also prompted questions about how such tests should be used in integrity and security-related decision-making. Providing further insight, Asian Criminological Society board member and criminologist Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy said polygraph testing should not be regarded as a definitive truth verification instrument. “Polygraphs may help generate leads, identify inconsistencies or encourage disclosures, but final decisions should rest on a broader evidentiary foundation. “A false positive may unfairly damage a person’s reputation, career and future opportunities, while a false negative may create a false sense of security and allow potentially high risk individuals to avoid detection. “For this reason, polygraph findings should always be interpreted cautiously and alongside other evidence.” In the context of employment screening, Sundramoorthy said recruitment decisions should also rely on background checks, reference verification, psychological assessments, integrity interviews and

Shahul said deceptive individuals may be assessed as truthful if they are able to control their emotions, employ countermeasures or display no significant physiological response. – SYED AZAHAR SYED OSMAN/THESUN

The comments come after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission held the Malaysian Polygraph Seminar: The Role of Polygraph in Employment Screening at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy on May 22.

no significant physiological response. “If there is too much reliance on polygraph testing, there is a risk of injustice against individuals who may not have committed any wrongdoing. “That is the danger. We cannot depend solely on polygraph testing.”

‘Polygraphs not substitute for anti-corruption reforms’ PETALING JAYA: Polygraph testing risks becoming a cosmetic anti-corruption measure if use the method as a visible response to integrity concerns while failing to address deeper governance weaknesses. Polygraph results should not be allowed to determine a person’s career or disciplinary outcome on their own, given the risk of false positives and false negatives, he added. records, procurement documentation, digital forensic evidence, witness testimony, unexplained wealth indicators and corroborating documentation.

“Integrity within enforcement agencies is built through strong institutions – effective oversight, verified asset and interest declarations, robust conflict-of-interest controls, protected whistleblowing channels, professional internal audit functions and consistent enforcement of disciplinary measures. “No technology or screening tool can substitute for these fundamentals.” He said any use of polygraph testing should operate within a clearly defined legal and governance framework, supported by independent oversight, transparency, regular reviews and safeguards against misuse.

“Ultimately, institutional credibility depends on decisions being grounded in evidence, due process and transparency rather than reliance on any single screening technology.” Raymon said agencies should prioritise verifiable, system-based integrity controls that address corruption risks at their source, including asset, income and conflict of-interest declaration systems. Such declarations should be verified, reviewed periodically and backed by meaningful penalties for non-compliance, he said. He also called for stronger whistleblower protection through

“Polygraph results should be treated, at most, as one supporting indicator and should never be the sole or decisive basis for recruitment, promotion, disciplinary action or findings of misconduct. “With the ongoing debate over reliability and the risk of both false positives and false negatives, using polygraph outcomes as a determinative employment or disciplinary tool would raise significant concerns relating to fairness, due process, reputational harm and potential abuse. “Decisions should be based on objective evidence such as financial